Twist in Time
by SlytherinChan
Summary: What if the spirit of Remorse gave Anders a chance to do it all over again? What if at the same time that Anders arrived in the past the master of death, Hadrian Potter, had settled with the Hawke family? How would these two factors change the outcome of the Dragon Age 2 storyline? Would it be for the better, or for the worse? Ander/Hadrian Elf!Hadrian M!Hawke/Fenris Carver/Merrill


The elf, Hadrian, ran behind the Hawke family as he calmly looked back over his shoulder every so often to ensure that no darkspawn were too close to the family that he had slowly come to care for. From a leather pouch on his side, he took out a through knife turned to where he was running backwards. Sharp, vivid green eyes settled on a single darkspawn that had strayed too far ahead of its pack. With acute accuracy, he let his throwing knife soar through the air and sink right into the forehead of the disgusting creature. The elven man took pleasure in watching the body drop limply to the ground lifeless.

Turning back to the front, which Hadrian was thankful he did as Leandra Hawke had tripped, he managed to make his way around the fallen woman to avoid trampling over her. Garret Hawke was quick to move to the fallen woman and help her up as he asked, "Are you alright, Mother?"

While Garret was preoccupied, Hadrian and Bethany were watching behind to make sure no darkspawn snuck up on them while Carver watched ahead. Just as a small group came up behind them, Bethany summoned a fireball and tossed it at the darkspawn stragglers. The few that managed to get past met their end by the twin dragonbone daggers that Hadrian seemed to dance across the ground with as he slaughtered them. Black blood splattered over his silver plated light armor. Thankfully none managed to get near his face of hair. He would have hated to see his blood red locks dyed black by the grotesque blood that belonged to these tainted creatures.

Ahead of them, Carver and the Marbari hound were tearing through the few stragglers that must have been ahead of the others. Once the fighting was done, the group walked to the top of the path and away from the smell of burning darkspawn. Once the group stopped, Garrett's Mabari hound, Cain, began sniffing the area in search of other threats. Leandra crouched down panting, "Maker save us! Everything your father and I built... we've lost it all."

Garrett walked over to his mother and placed a firm, but gentle, hand on her shoulder. "I understand how much you loved Lothering, Mother, but it is no longer safe for us."

Leandra straightened her back and dried her eyes as she nodded her head to her eldest son. "You're right."

"We should have left sooner." Bethany spoke up while looking over at Carver.

Carver glared back at her as he asked, "What are you looking at me for? We've been running since Ostagar..."

From the side, Hadrian watched the group interact, but his attention was mainly focused on his surroundings. Garrett could see Hadrian out of the corner of his eye, and idly wondered why the elf was always so distant. Though he quickly pushed those thoughts back and focused back to his to unruly siblings. "Enough. We need to start moving, or the darkspawn will catch up with us."

Bethany nodded her head and apologized, "I'm sorry, you're right brother." Carver, however, merely grudgingly nodded his head before walking off to take point.

The small band of people had just started walking when Bethany spoke up again. "Wait! Where are we going?"

Carver looked back at his twin and answered in the most obvious tone of voice, "Away from the darkspawn, where else?"

"And then where? We can't just wander aimlessly." Bethany threw back at Carver.

Garrett sighed and looked at his two squabbling siblings. "Well, as long as we wander away from the darkspawn then I'm happy."

Looking uneasy then straightening her face, Leandra faced her children. "We can go Kirkwall."

Hadrian's eyes widened slightly at what the woman had said. He had never been a fan of The City of Chains as he didn't like the idea of slavery. Not to mention their circle had lately become corrupted. Traquiling mages that hadn't showed a single sign of becoming an abomination. Though most of his information came from his little spy that he had running about in that city. He couldn't be certain that the information was true unless he checked it out for himself.

While Hadrian was caught up in his thoughts, the Hawke family's conversation had continued until they all agreed that Kirkwall would be the best idea. As they had start moving, Garrett glanced back and noticed that Hadrian hadn't moved yet. "Hey Hadrian, better start moving!"

The shout snapped the elf out of his thoughts and he sent an apologetic smile over to the eldest Hawke sibling. "My apologies, Hawke, it appear I was rather lost in my own thoughts." He then easily caught up to the group ahead of him and started to walk in the back.

A growl filled the air, causing Garrett's eyes to immediately fall upon his Mabari hound, Cain. Looking back to the rest of his party he called to them, "Be ready. Cain has caught the scent of darkspawn ahead."

Carver and Garret unsheathed their Great Sword from their back while Bethany moved forward holding her staff and Cain by her side. She, however, stopped when she rounded the corner. This action was followed by the rest of the Hawke family. Hadrian was standing on the ledge and let out a low whistle. "Well, isn't she a ferocious one."

Up ahead of them was a wounded templar and a red hair green eyed woman. Hadrian recognized the woman as being one of the soldiers from Ostagar. The two of them were up against a group of darkspawn and, from what Hadrian was watching, weren't doing too well.

The Templar made a rather bad slash at one of the darkspawns and fell to the ground with barely enough time to get his templar shield in front of him before the same darkspawn came baring down on him. The green eyed woman, Aveline, Hadrian believed he remembered her name to be, tackled the darkspawn off the Templar and then grabbed a rock and began to bash its head in. Hadrian noticed Leandra and Bethany grimace a bit while Garrett and Carver had a glint of respect for the woman's strength.

Hadrian turned back to Aveline just in time to see her helping the Templar to stand up. "You won't take him!" She growled at the darkspawn before firmly, but still gently, looking to the Templar and adding, "They will not take you!"

Having seen enough, Hadrian pulled his two daggers from his waist and disappeared from his crouched position on the rock. If no one was going to help the two, he might as well do it. The next time that he was seen was when he appeared behind the darkspawn that was about to give a fatal blow to Aveline. With a single movement of his dagger, the head of the darkspawn came completely off. The elf looked down at his now bloodied hand and sighed. "Perhaps I used too much force in that cut."

Aveline could only stare at the elf incredulously, not believing what he had just said. Though she didn't have time to stare long because the howl of a Mabari hound and war cries of two men took her attention away from the elf. She heard the elf mutter, "About time those idiots showed up. I was beginning to think they had got cold feet."

Now that the Hawkes had Aveline's attention, Hadrian started focusing back on his task at hand. Since Garrett, Carver, and Cain were here he could now take out the archers. Activating his camouflage, Hadrian movement quickly and silently until he was behind one of the archer. Hooking a cloth in the darkspawn's mouth, he stabbed his dagger right into the heart of the creature. The darkspawn's comrade didn't even notice it crumpling to the ground until it was too late. Hadrian was already next to it and his dagger slicing through the throat of the horrid creature.

Jumping down from the ledge that the creatures had been on, Hadrian deactivated his camouflage and walked over to where the Hawke family and the Templar were arguing. "Honestly, you all started having such a pleasant conversation while I was out doing the dirty work." A pout came over his lips as he cleaned his daggers with the cloth. "How unfair is that?"

Garrett had the decency to look apologetic, though eventually his attention fell back onto the Templar. Before either of the men could speak, Hadrian stepped forward and met the templar's eyes with his own piercing green ones. "I do believe that you owe me a life debt, Templar. As repayment for the debt that you owe me, I command you to never tell with anyone in any fashion about Bethany being a mage." A white glow surrounded the templar's body, causing Hadrian to smirk in satisfaction. "Now, we could always leave the two of you here if you have anything else to argue about." He then started to walk away from the group while throwing over his shoulder, "Personally, I want to get as far away from the darkspawn as I can. They are such nasty creatures, aren't they?"

Eventually Hadrian could hear the sound of footsteps falling behind him. Looking back, he grinned at Garrett and asked, "Finally decide you rather continue on then argue with the Templar?" Garrett nodded and Hadrian aloud the man to take point as he slowed down so that he was in the back of the group once more. Now he had two people to watch out for, and thankfully for them he had a hero complex that never went away.

After a few more battles with darkspawn, the traveling group found themselves within sight of the Korcari Wilds. Just when they thought their selves safe, the very ground beneath their feet began to tremble. Hadrian's eyes went wide as he brought out two throwing knives. If he was right about what the creature was, then he needed to think of a plan and fast. Hadrian never got the chance too, however, before the brave little idiot Carver charged at the beast. The ogre reached down to pick Carver up, but a fireball slammed into its face before it could get closer.

Each of the party members, except Hadrian, looked over at Bethany who shook her head in denial. Hadrian's gaze, however, had settled upon a man with dirty blond hair pulled back into a small ponytail at the base of his neck. He had a single gold earring in his right ear, was clothed in a set of robes that had feathers around the shoulders, and then a rather unique staff. If he remembered correctly then the staff was known as Freedom's Call. He seemed to have a look of anger on his face as he sent what Hadrian recognized to be _Winters Grasp_ at the ogre, and freezing it in place. This gave Hadrian enough time to move quickly and shove Carver back over at his brother.

Now that Carver was out of danger, Hadrian threw the two throwing knives with expert precision. Each one of the blades lodged themselves into the eyes of the ogre leaving the creature without its sight. Garrett seemed to have broken from his shock, and charged at the ogre. His great sword slicing through the muscles in the back of the large creature's legs. Carver, Bethany, and Aveline were preoccupied with fighting off the darkspawn that kept coming in wave. The new mage was healing and tossing fireballs here and there. Then Hadrian was digging his daggers into the back of the ogre and scaling it as if it was a thrashing mountain. At the head he began to stab his daggers into the face of the ogre rather brutally, causing the beast to roar in pain. Finally, the ogre's heart began to beat slower and slower until it stopped completely.

Before the beast could fall over on top of him, Hadrian stood up on the shoulders and back flipped off the creature. Landing in a crouched position, he stood up just in time to hear Bethany call out, "There's too many of them!"

Hadrian quickly began to access the situation at hand. Garrett, Carver, Aveline, and Bethany seemed to be running on steam. The new mage and he were the only ones who actually seemed to have some fight left in them. _'Well, this can't be good. At least it can't get worse…'_ He nearly bashed his head in the ground for having that thought as a dragon unfurled its wings and roared before launching itself into the air. "Great… a high dragon. Just what we needed in this situation." The new mage, who was next to him now, chuckled at his comment before speaking, "You thought that it couldn't get worse, didn't you?"

Hadrian looked to the mage and rolled his eyes when he saw the mirth dancing in the man's eyes. "Unfortunately you are correct." His gaze then fell upon the dragon once more who was roasting darkspawn and… eating them. "Is it just me, or does she seem to have more interest in the darkspawn then us?"

The mage shook his head in disbelief. "It's not just you… that high dragon seems to be ign- wait, I spoke too soon."

The High dragon dived down and landed, sending shockwaves through the ground. Hadrian grimaced at the thought of being dragon chow. "Just lovely. Well, the least we can do is go down with a fight." He unsheathed his daggers and met the eyes of the scaled beast. He was surprised to see the intelligence in those eyes though it quickly turned to suspicion when he heard the dragon speak, _"Such foolish warriors, and after I helped them."_ She seemed to notice Hadrian's narrowed eyes. _"Do you understand me in this form, elf?"_

Hadrian didn't answer, but instead kept his eyes locked with the High dragon. She spoke again after a second or two of silence, _"Interesting, never have I come across a being that could understand dragon tongue."_ In a golden flash of light, which caused all of Hawke's party members to shield their eyes, the High dragon was replaced by a tall white haired woman.

The woman, Flemeth, as they soon learned, turned her gaze upon the Hawke Family. She made a comment about encountering the wardens in the Wilds, which Hadrian noticed caused the mage beside him to release a sigh of relief. After she was finished speaking with the Hawke family, her yellow eyes settled upon the mage beside Hadrian and she began walking over to him. Noticing that the mage had tensed up, Hadrian put himself between the tall woman and man. His piercing green eyes locked with Flemeth's yellow ones as he hissed low enough that only she could hear, _"Stay away from the mage, Flemeth. You wouldn't want me to take you soul now instead of allowing you to have your fun. After all, you should know by now exactly who I am."_

Flemeth's eyes widened as she listened to the elf's hissing words. A shiver went up her spine as she saw the tall figure of death behind the elf. Death's pale hand was caressing its master's cheek, as the crimson red eyes locked with Flemeth's yellow ones. _"I will have your soul, Flemeth, in time. Though, if my Master asks it of me then I will happily take it now."_

Hadrian took great pleasure in watching the woman's face pale in realization of who she was talking with. _"The time-traveler is MINE!"_

Flemeth decided not to take chances, but instead to play it safe. She turned from the group to collect her composure, but played it off as if she was thinking. When she turned back to the group she rambled out, "Are you here because of fate or chance? I can never decide. Fortune smiles upon you today."

"Wesley!" Aveline gripped her husband's arm as his body began suffering through the effects of the Taint. "What's happening to him?"

"What has been down to your man cannot be undone." Flemeth replied but there was a look, just a flicker of sadness in her old gaze. "The only way to save him is to make him a Grey Warden."

"And they're all gone now." Garrett rubbed his face.

"Not all, but the last are beyond your reach." the witch answered. "There is only one other option left."

"No!" Aveline shook her head. "Don't touch him!"

Wesley reached out and touched his wife's hand. "Aveline, I can feel the corruption inside me."

Wesley took out a dagger and handed it to Aveline. Tears began to collect in the woman's eyes, but she refused to let them fall, as she drove the dagger through his heart.

Flemeth offered the party a way to the harbor, but before that they learned that the mage's name was Anders. When Garrett asked for him to join their group to Kirkwall Anders was hesitant, but eventually he agreed to go.


End file.
